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Minotaur
The Minotaur appears as a species of anthropomorphic bull, about eight feet tall. When encountered by Kratos, they engage him in battle. Minotaurs walk on their hind legs and carry a variety of massive war axes. Over the course of the game, the Minotaurs Kratos encounters become larger, more powerful, and more heavily armored and well armed. Kratos can kill most of the Minotaurs by thrusting one or both of his blades into their open mouths and out the back of their heads (doing that will also usually give him additional Green Orbs). Greek Mythology In Greek mythology, the Minotaur (Greek: Μῑνώταυρος, "Bull of Minos") was the offspring of the King Minos of Crete's wife, and of a sacred white bull. It appeared as being part man, part bull, and was locked away in the middle of Labyrinth designed by Minos' architect Daedalus. Every nine years, seven young men and seven young maidens were taken from Athens to the labyrinth to be sacrificed to the Minotaur so that it would not attack the city (possibly a cultural memory referring to the Minoan Empire of Crete). The beast was then later killed by the Greek hero Theseus, aided by Minos' daughter Ariadne. In the God of War Series Chains of Olympus Different in appearance than other incarnations, they are significantly larger than Kratos, being one of the largest enemies of the game. They attack Kratos by charging at him, or by attempting to bludgeon him with their giant, blunt swords. After weakening them, Kratos can kill these monsters by triggering a quick time event (otherwise known as a minigame) and pinning their hands down with his blades, and then strike them in the neck with their own sword. Later in the game, Kratos encounters another type of Minotaur that is covered in powerful armor that must first be removed (see below). God of War During the siege of Athens, Kratos must fight various types of Minotaurs which make up a large part of the army of Ares. Later in the game, he even encounters a type called Hades Minotaur, the flaming monsters patrolling the depths of the Underworld. Kratos also had a unique encounter with a boss, giant, strong, armored, partially undead Minotaur who served as the final trial of the Challenge of Hades in Pandora's Temple. This beast, known as Pandora's Guardian, was defeated by Kratos, who destroyed his steaming armor and impaled him to the wall. Ghost of Sparta Minotaurs return in God of War: Ghost of Sparta, in an almost identical fashion to their Chains of Olympus counterparts. A new type of Minotaur, the Minotaur Brute, is also encountered in the game. This time, when the Minotaur charges Kratos, a minigame appears, allowing Kratos to grab it by the horns and deflect its attack if the correct button is pressed. Betrayal A weak version of the Minotaur appeared in God of War: Betrayal, partially due to the fact that Kratos is a full-powered god during the game. These creatures are summoned to a Greek city to stop the devastating progress of the God of War. Here, Kratos kills the Minotaur by impaling each of his blades in the beast's shoulders, after which he throws his weight back, thereby ripping off the Minotaur's arms. God of War II Along with the Minotaur Grunt from the original God of War, God of War II brings new, unique types, including the ice-powered Erebus Minotaur (see below) and the large, hulking beast called Hades Minotaur (even though it is absolutely different from the Hades Minotaurs from the original game). At three points during his journey across the Island of Creation, Kratos will also encounter massive Minotaurs composed of solid volcanic stone, known as Titan Minotaurs in The Bog of the Forgotten, Catacombs of the Fallen, and inside Atlas the Titan. However, due to the large variety of enemies, "standard" Minotaurs (Grunt and Erebus) only appear a few times in the game: in the Lair of Typhon, near the Steeds of Time, and in the Hall of Atropos. Also, there are two frozen Minotaur Grunts in the Ice Phoenix Room, that Kratos can optionally defrost. God of War III Minotaurs appear once again in God of War III, now as powerful minions of the Gods. Their most common means of attacking Kratos is to charge at him, in an attempt to gore him with their horns. Later in the game, Kratos will also encounter stronger breeds of Minotaurs, such as the Minotaur Elite and the Labrys Minotaur (see below). Types Armored Minotaur In God of War: Chains of Olympus, the Armored Minotaur is like the standard Minotaur in both fighting style and appearance. The only difference is that's covered in thick armor, which Kratos must shatter and remove before he can actually harm the creature itself. Upon removing its armor and weakening it, Kratos can also kill it the same way he kills the standard Minotaur. Kratos encounters these foes exclusively in the Temple of Persephone. Minotaur Grunt A standard type of Minotaur seen in the God of War Series, the Minotaur Grunt is often seen in pairs and should be handled with caution. When you are fighting this Minotaur as well as any Minotaur, it is best to launch them into the air and throw them down to the ground several times. This keeps you away from the other Minotaur and other enemies that will want to attack you. Though not as dangerous as the other type of Minotaurs seen in the series, this Minotaur still wields a large battleaxe. Kratos can also kill them the same way as most other Minotaurs. The Minotaur Grunts first appear in the first God of War. They appear in small groups or pairs throughout parts of the city of Athens as minions of Ares. In God of War II, Minotaur Grunts are one of the enemies summoned by the High Priest of the Fates. If Grunt attacks by swinging its ax with both hands in God of War II, Kratos will stop the attack with his hands, initiating a power struggle which, if successful, will allow Kratos to pull the weapon away from its owner and throw it back, into the Grunt's chest. Unless otherwise weakened, this is not lethal. Minotaur Hammer Grunt A step up from the Minotaur Grunts, the Minotaur Hammer Grunts are still among the weaker Minotaurs encountered in God of War but are worthy adversaries nonetheless. Kratos first encounters them later on in his quest for Athens. Their appearance is similar to the Minotaur Grunts, except their fur is blue-tinted, and they wield massive war hammers in addition to axes. They attack Kratos by swiping at him with their hammer or axe when he gets close. When at a distance, they can attack by leaping into the air and slamming their hammer into the ground, unleashing an unblockable shock wave that radiates out in the direction they're facing. Minotaur Warrior The Minotaur Warrior in God of War is a more powerful type of Minotaur that Kratos encounters later on in the game within Pandora's Temple. They appear larger than the Minotaur Hammer Grunts, have brownish-colored skin, and carry a massive war hammer and battleaxes as weapons. Like the Hammer Grunts, they can attack Kratos by leaping into the air and crashing down with their hammer, which can then create a large, damaging shock wave in the direction they are facing. Kratos can also kill them the same way as most other Minotaurs. Minotaur Tormentor The Minotaur Tormentor is one of the largest and most dangerous types of Minotaur that Kratos encounters in God of War. They are only found in a few parts of Pandora's Temple, mostly in the Challenge of Hades and upon the Cliffs of Madness. They are covered in thick spiked armor, three horns, and they wield a gigantic spiked battleaxe for a weapon. They attack by approaching Kratos and delivering dangerous swipes and slams with their axe. Also, they can't be launched in the air. Kratos can also kill them the same way as most other Minotaurs. Hades Minotaur The Hades Minotaur is the name of two separate types of Minotaurs Kratos encountered in God of War and God of War II. God of War In God of War, Kratos encounters these fiery monsters deep in the pits of Hades, where they serve as guards of Hades and of the Underworld. They are similar in appearance to the Minotaur Tormentors, except covered in flames. Their fighting styles are also the same. Kratos can also kill them the same way as most other Minotaurs. God of War II In God of War II, a new type of Minotaurs also called Hades Minotaurs appears. These creatures are fat, squat Minotaurs, that breath fire, and wield giant flaming maces (which they light with their flame breath). With his weapon, a Hades Minotaur can smash the ground and create an explosion of flames, hurt Kratos with his horns, or charge at him and give a hit with the shoulder. These Minotaurs usually present a danger when in combat and are seen more often in pairs. This beast is the most frequent type of Minotaur that Kratos finds in the game, since they appear in the Temple of Euryale, inside a cave near the Lowlands, in the Phoenix Chamber, and in the path to the Loom Chamber. After weakening them, Kratos can take their mace, hit them in the head with it, and stick it into the ground, in front of the beast. Then, to finish them off, he latches his blades into the Minotaur's chest, and pulls back, until the beast is impaled with its own mace. Killing Hades Minotaurs in this way will give Kratos some Green and Blue Orbs. Minotaur Brute The Minotaur Brute '''is the name of two separate types of Minotaurs Kratos encountered in God of War: Ghost of Sparta and God of War III. God of War: Ghost of Sparta In God of War: Ghost of Sparta, they appear as extra large Minotaurs, armed with a spiked war hammer. They attack Kratos either by striking at him with their hammer or by charging at him, goring him with their horns and throwing him to the nearest wall. The best method of fighting this type of Minotaurs is to carefully evade its damaging attacks, and unleash a furry of blows whenever it drops its guard. Once it has been weakened enough, it will be prone to a finishing move, in which Kratos kills it the same way he does most other Minotaurs. God of War III The Minotaur Brute is the first type of Minotaur that appears in God of War III. Unlike of the other Minotaurs, they do not use weapons and they attack Kratos by charging at him, in an attempt to gore him with their horns, that can be blocked with the Golden Fleece. After weakening them, Kratos grabs the Minotaur, throws it to the ground and plunges the sword into his throat. They are found only in Underworld. Erebus Minotaur '''Erebus Minotaurs are a new type of Minotaur in God of War II, first encountered in the Lair of Typhon. They somewhat resemble the Minotaur Grunt, except parts of their body, are covered in ice, including their hooves, hips, forearms, back, and horns. As a weapon, they carry a large battleaxe. Usually fought in pairs, this Minotaur is dangerous and caution should be used when fighting it in battle. Theseus can also summon them during his battle with Kratos. Kratos can kill them the same way as most other Minotaurs. Titan Minotaur Titan Minotaurs are the strongest type of Minotaur found in God of War II, and it is the most powerful and dangerous non-boss enemy encountered in the game. Titan Minotaurs are massive Minotaurs made entirely of volcanic rock and fiery lava. At first, they simply appear as a pile of rocks, but then "awaken" when Kratos approaches. They attack Kratos by slamming at him with their stone fists, spinning with their fists outward, or by picking up and throwing giant boulders at him. Kratos encounters three Titan Minotaurs over the course of the whole game. The first is in the Bog of the Forgotten where it is fought alone, the second one in the catacombs beyond the Temple of Euryale along with infinitely respawning Harpies, and the third one within Atlas alone and is capable of limited movement. After being weakened, Kratos can kill them by grappling onto them with one of his blades, chopping at their legs, and climbing up their backside. From there Kratos leaps into the air and strikes their shoulder, and then finally impaling his blades into their fiery core, causing them to disintegrate into rubble. This does not apply for the third one, however, as it is killed in the normal way without any QTEs, presumably to drop a rock for Kratos to escape the place where he once fought the Minotaur in. Minotaur Elite Minotaur Elites are a more powerful breed of Minotaur that Kratos encounters over the course of his quest for God of War III. The Minotaur Elites appear similar to the standard Minotaurs that Kratos has encountered, except they are now covered in heavy armor, and wield a deadly battleaxe. The key to defeating these more powerful breeds of Minotaur is to perform skilled block-and-counter techniques or to carefully evade their charges and axe swings. Once Kratos has weakened them, he can kill them by grabbing them by the horns, wrestling them to the ground, and breaking their necks. Like all Minotaurs, this will not only kill them but reward Kratos with some useful Green Orbs. Labrys Minotaur The Labrys Minotaur is the most powerful breed of Minotaur that Kratos encounters in God of War III. They appear similar to the Minotaur Elites, except their armor is even stronger, and their axe is even larger. Like their weaker Minotaur brethren, these beasts attack Kratos by charging at him from a distance, or by attempting to pummel him with their powerful axes. The most effective way to damage and kill these beasts is to rely primarily on counterattacks, and then performing the final context-sensitive kill to reward Kratos with Green Orbs, Kratos encounters these beasts only a few times throughout his journey through the Labyrinth. Trivia * In Greek myth, the Minotaur was a single creature rather than an entire race. * Ironically, in the first two games, Kratos beats the horned beasts to the ground with a strong headbutt. * In God of War III, Kratos kills Minotaurs in a fashion similar to how he is shown battling a Minotaur in a marketing image drawn for God of War II. * The Labrys Minotaur is named after the type of axe that it wields. The ''labrys'' was a type of double-headed battleaxe that was used amongst various ancient Greek societies, including the Minoan society on Crete. * For some reason, the Hades Minotaur of God of War II is the most resistant enemy to be shattered when petrified, with the Gorgons being obviously resistant. * The Elephantaur, a new breed of Minotaur, was featured in Ascension. As the name suggests, it is a cross between an elephant and a man. It first appeared in the E3 demo as a mini-boss, similar to the Cerberus in God of War II. Kratos killed it by cutting open its skull. * The Minotaurs in God of War: Betrayal is similar to the Minotaur Grunts. * Killing a Minotaur via QTE in God of War only yielded green orbs, this was changed in later games so both red and green orbs were gained. * The most powerful Minotaur to have appeared in the series is Pandora's Guardian, it is an animated rotting corpse that is first seen with a plethora of strong armor on, Kratos eventually weakens it to reveal its soft flesh underneath. It serves as a boss in God of War and, as its name suggests, guards Pandora's Box. * Minotaurs appear as an enemy of the God of War demake Bit of War. Gallery Iceminotaur.jpg|Ice Minotaur/Erebus Minotaur concept art Titan_Minotaur_2.jpg|Kratos fighting a Titan Minotaur Minotaur2.jpg|Minotaur Tormentor Minotaur concept.jpg|God of War III Minotaur concept art Minotaurbossarmor.jpg Minotaurbossnoarmor.jpg Godofwar Minotaur.jpg|A Minotaur costume featured in Little Big Planet Hades Minotaur 1.jpg|Hades Minotaur 21614_godofwar-09_normal.jpg|god of War Chains of Olympus (Minotaur) Hades_Minotaur.jpg 1312368-god_of_war_iii_2010_minotaur_super.jpg minotaur.jpg imagei.jpeg ErebusMinotaur-1-.jpg Gow2-minotaur.jpg minotuar03.jpg minotuar04.jpg minotuar05.jpg Mino.JPG|Kratos, about to kill a Minotaur Grunt Minotaur Grunt 1.jpg|Minotaur Grunt Titan Minotaur 1.jpg|Titan Minotaur Concept_Art_Elephant_juggernaut.jpg|Concept Art Elephantaur Elephantaur.JPG|The Elephantaur Kratos_vs_minotaur_hammer_grunt_10_-_GoW.jpg Kratos_vs_minotaur_hammer_grunt_9_-GoW.jpg Kratos_vs_minotaur_hammer_grunt_3_-_GoW.jpg Hades Minotaur (God of War).jpg Minotaur Hammer Grunt.jpg Minotaur Warrior.jpg hadesminotaur.jpg minotaurbruteiii.jpg 2.jpg Fortress of atehns.jpg Fortress 3.jpg AndyPark_Minotaur 1.jpg God_of_War-Ascension_Concept_Art_Andy_Park_14.jpg Related Pages *Pandora's Guardian Category:Enemies Category:Monsters Category:Pandora's Temple Category:God of War: Chains of Olympus Category:God of War Category:God of War: Ghost of Sparta Category:God of War: Betrayal Category:God of War II Category:God of War III Category:God of War (Comics) Category:God of War Series Category:God of War Collection Category:God of War Origins Collection Category:God of War: Saga Collection Category:God of War: Ascension Category:Species de:Minotaurus Category:Greek Mythology Category:Greek Monsters